Incubator.



PATENTBD 0611.16, 190.6,

L. s. BAGHB. I NGUBATOR. APPLIUATION FILED H0124. 1905.

2 SEBETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 833,659. PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906..

` L. S..BAGHE.

IN GUBATOR.

APPLroATIoN FILED Nov. 24. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LEIGH S. 4BACI-IE, OF BOUNDBROOK, NEW JERSEY.

INCUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed November Z4, 1905. Serial No. 288,966.

.To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEIGH S. BAoHE, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Boundbrook, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Incubators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in incubators; and the essential objects in view are to provide means for removing the chickens from the incubator as they are hatched without the necessity of opening one side of the incubating-chamber to the outer air; to provide heating means having the characteristics of equally distributing the heat with respect to the incubating-chamber in a steady and reliable manner and avoid the establishment of the greatest temperature adjacent to the heating means; to provide covering or wall means over the incubatingchamber through which the heat-currents may readily pass in a finely-divided manner and facilitate the equality of distribution of the heat within the incubating-chamber, as well as avoid a forceful feed or the introduction of a heavy current of hot air at one point within the egg or incubating chamber, and to provide a bottom-closure for the incubating or egg chamber of such material that the heavy gases collecting in the lower portion of said chamber below the egg-tray may be easily driven out with advantage in the incubating process.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The provision of means for rendering the incubating-chamber accessible without exposing such chamber to the outer currents of air is a strong feature of the present invention. It is well known to those acquainted with the art of incubation that if the door of the incubator, usually located in the side, be opened after the eggs commence to pip or after the chicks commence to hatch there will be danger of ruining or at least greatly impairing the balance of the hatch. The opening of the doors in the side of the usual form of incubators, however, often becomes necessary, for the reason that early in the spring and during the winter months eggs often hatch slowly, Some eggs will hatch during the nineteenth day of incubation, while others in the same machine will not hatch until the twenty-second or twenty-third day. It will at once be seen that to leave the chicks first hatched in the machine until the last ones are hatched would be impracticable, and to open the door to take out the early chicks means practically death to the later ones. By opening the door of the incubator the machine at once cools off, the moisture contained in the egg-chamber escapes, and the chicks that are left dry up in the shell to such an extent that it becomes impossible for them to get out. By this4 means great numbers of chicks are destroyed each year, and the loss to the operator is considerable. According to the present invention the egg or incubating chamber and egg-tray are rendered accessible lsolely through a bottom drawer or slide covering a bottom-opening when such drawer or slide is closed and permitting the operator to pass his hand upwardly underneath the incubator and remove the hatched chicks from the tray without exposing the eggs remaining unhatched to drafts of air or drying out the chamber or materially modifying the temperature of the latter.

A preferred form of the incubator is disclosed by the accompanying drawings, where- 1n- Figure l is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the incubator with a portion thereof -removed and particularly showing the heat receiving and distributing chamber. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the heating means exclusive of the prime heat-generating medium.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. l

The numeral 1 designates a surrounding casing having double end and rear walls, as shown, Which are suitably packed and rendered air-tight, as well as moisture-proof. An incubating or hatching chamber 2 and a heatchamber 3 are formed within the incubator by a transverse partition 4, the heat-chamber being materially smaller than the incubating or hatching chamber. rIhe heat-chamber has a greater vertical extent than the hatching or incubating chamber, and the top therefor is provided by an inner removable closure 5, consisting of a acked frame with a sheetmetal covering 6, iaving applied thereover a heat-non-conducting filling 7 and a' moistureroof covering 8, the sheet-metal covering Being arched and providing over the 'top of the incubating or hatching chamber a heatreceiving and distributing chamberQ; which v IOO IIO

open or reticulated material or communicates with the heat-chamber 3. The incubator has a removable cover 5a, adjacent to which the closure 5 is located. EX- tending longitudinally over the heat receiving and distributing chamber is a supportingstrp 10, which is secured to the upper edge of the partition 4 and terminates at the outer end of the said heat receiving and distributing chamber. This strip 10 is formed at its outer extremity with a longitudinal slot 11 for a purpose which will be presently set forth, and over said slot is a movably-disposed securing-clasp 1 2. Beneath the supporting-strip 10 and in close relation to the latter is a diaphragm 13, which forms the top for the hatching or incubating chamber and consists, preferably, of a piece of burlap of suitable dimensions secured to a frame 14, held at its rear side on a ledge 15 and removable downwardly through the hatching or incubating chamber through the medium of turnbuttons or similar fastenings 16, engaging the under portion of the front side of said frame. By the use of burlap or similar material the heat-currents or heated air is permitted to readily pass through the said diaphragm and be regularly distributed within the hatching or incubating chamber. The use of a readily-penetrative diaphragm, such as described, is materially advantageous as compared to one formed from more fully one composed of a porous composition, as it has been found that the heat-currents or heated air passes from the heat receiving andv distributing chamber 9 into the hatching or incubating chamber in finely-divided currents or in a gradual manner, and thus overcomes a too rapid iniiuX of the heat currents or heated. air into the incubating-chamber or a slothful feed of this heating medium.

Below the diaphragm just explained and at a suitable elevation within the incubatingchamber an egg-tray 17, of any suitable form, is removably disposed, and in line therewith in the front of the casing sight glasses or apertures covered with transparent material, as at 18, are arranged. The bottom of the incubating-chamber is composed of a slide 19, having a burlap closure 20, the removal of said slide permitting the operator to insert u wardly into the incubatingchamber an reach the egg-tray, the latter being so proportioned that a space will be left sufliclent to grasp the chicks that may have been hatched and held by the tray. This egg-tray 'during the latter operation may be moved rearward and forward for the convenience of the operator in reaching all the chicks that may have been hatched without requiring an exposure of the tray by opening a door in the side of the incubator-casing. The sight glasses or apertures covered by transparent means form a part of a drop-door 2l, which always remains closed, except at such times when it is desired to ill the eggtray or after the hatching or incubating process is completed but, as before indicated, if a part of the chickens regularly hatch and eggs still remain unhatched the said door is held closed, and the hatched chickens are removed from the egg-tray through the bottom of the casing by withdrawing the slide, as set forth.

y The slide having the burlap covering constitutes the sole closing means for the bottom of the casing directly under the egg-tray, and this burla covering permits the heavier gases whic settle in the bottom of the incubating-chamber to be driven downwardly through the slide and escape with material advantage in the incubating process and effectiveness of the hatch. ing stability to the bottoni covering or closure 20, spaced slats 20a are arranged thereunder and held by the frame of the slide. These slats do not in the least affect the ventilating characteristics of the burlap closure. The incubating or hatching chamber has a tube 22 communicating therewith and carried by the closure 5 and depending through an opening 23 in the diaphragm forming the top of the said incubating-Chamber, the said tube coinciding with an outlet-opening 24 in the to of the casing. This tube 22 is used as a conc uit through which to pass the rod connecting with the thermostat in the incubating or egg chamber, said thermostat not being shown, but will be of any suitable form.

The bottom of the heat-chamber 3 is of composite form and comprises a wood or other inner material 24a, having an upper metal sheathing 25 and a bottom metal covering 26, and depending from the under side of this bottom is a suitable support 27 for a lamp 28, the chimney of the lamp projecting upwardly through a central opening 29 in said heat-chamber bottom and held against movement directly in the center of said opening 29. In transverse alinement with the center of the said opening are air-ingress openings 30, and secured on the top of this heat-chamber bottom are supporting-cleats 31 for a purpose which will be presently set forth. It is preferred that the lamp-support 27 be removable, and for this purpose grooved guides 32 are secured against the under side of the bottom of the heat-chamber and eX- tend longitudinally with respect to the under portion of the incubator-casing. The exact form of the lamp-supporting means, however, is not essential and may be varied at will. The heating means includes in its organization a drum 33, having a ilue 34 eX- tending upwardly through the center thereof and projecting downwardly below the bottom and upwardly above the top of the same. The flue 34 does not communicate with the drum, and the latter at a suitable elevation above the closed bottom thereof has air-inlet openings 35. The iiue 34 converges from To give support- IOO IOS

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its lower toward its upper extremity, and the upper end of the lamp-chimney is fitted Within the lower enlarged depending extremity of the said flue, the said lower enlarged depending extremity extending downwardly through the central opening in the bottom of the heatchamber. The upper reduced extremity of the flue 34 projects through the opening 36 in the closure and also through the top of the incubator-casing for cooperation with a heat-regulator or thermostat 37 of any preferred form. The upper portion of the drum 33 has a feeding-pipe 38 projecting inwardly therefrom and communicating therewith, said feeding-pipe resting on the strip and having its free extremity held under the clasp 12 over the slot 11, so that the heated air issuing therefrom may pass downwardly through the said slot and diaphragm immediately below the latter into the incubating or hatching chamber. Below the point of attachment of the hot-air-feeding pipe 38 the drum 33 is inclosed by a flaring skirt 39, the lower portion of the said skirt having approximately elliptical contour, and the major axis thereof when this heating medium is applied will be disposed centrally with respect to the openings in the bottom of the heat-chamber. The skirt and the heating means, as just explained, are supported by the cleats 31, and the smaller openings in the bottom of the heat-chamberv always have communication with the enveloping or suction chamber formed by the said skirt with respect to the drum 33.

After the incubator has been charged with eggs the prime heater or lamp 28 is applied in proper position under the heat-chamber and the chimney thereof inserted in the lower extremity of the flue 34. Under ordinary constructions of heat-drums and those without the skirt attachment and air-feeding means hereinbefore set forth the lower extremity of the drum would become intensely hot and the adjacent wall of the incubating-chamber or the partition in the present instance 'dividing the heat-chamber from the incubating-chamber would be materially affected and that portion of the incubating-chamber next or adjacent to the partition or dividing wall would have an excessive temperature, while the remaining part of the incubatingchamber would be of a different temperature. Under the present construction as the drum 33 becomes heated air is drawn inwardly through the bottom of the heat-chamber and -upwardly into the skirt or suction chamber produced by the latter'and passes through the openings 35 and as it becomes fully heated rises in the said drum and passes out through the feed-pipe 38. This operation sets up a circulation and institutes a suction which will continuallyv feed the drum 33 with fresh charges of air. lt-will also be understood that the air surrounding the skirt and the heating means in the heat-chamber will also become heated by reason of the proximity thereof to the heating means and flow up into the heat receiving and distributing chamber immediately above the incubatingchamber. lt will be understood that the regulator or thermostat will operate automatically at intervals to maintain the proper temperature within the incubating-chamber, as in other incubator structures. The position of the outlet end of the feed-pipe 38, as shown and described, insures a feed of the heated air into the outer extremity of the incubating-chamber or that extremity farthest from the heating means, and thus a uniformity of temperature will at all times exist lthroughout the area of the incubating-chain- When found necessary, the closure 5 may be removed after the cover 5a of the incubator-casing has been withdrawn to expose the heating means described for cleaning or repair purposes.

lt will be observed that the regulator in theforegoing incubating apparatus has absolutely no connection with the fresh-air flue, but connects directly with the heat furnished by the heat supplyv regardless of whether the prime heating medium be a lamp, gas, or electricity, and when the darn- `per A, as shown vby Fig. 1, is raised it simply lets off the surplus heat from the flue 34 of the heat-generating apparatus. ln view of the particular construction of the heating apparatus as set forth the fresh air must continually pass or flow into and through the egg-chamber so long as there is the least particle of heat generated in the said apparatus. This is materially different from the heating and Ventilating apparatuses now usually employed in incubators wherein the supply of fresh air is controlled by the damper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber with egg-holding means therein and a bottom-opening for rendering said chamber accessible, and a slidable closure for the said opening movable independently of said egg-holding means'.

2. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber with egg-holding means therein and an o en bottom, and a slidable closure for the ottom movable independently of said egg-holding means.

3. ln an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber accessible at the bottom for the removal of chickenstherefrom,I eggholding means in the incubating-chamber and a movable closure for the bottom operable independently of the egg-holding means.

4. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber accessible at the under or bottom portion thereof, egg-holding means in the incubating-chamber, means for heat- IOO IIO

ing said chamber, and a movable closure for the bottom and operable independently of the said egg-holding means.

5. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber accessible at the bottom and side, egg-holding means in the incubating-chamber and movable closures for the bottom and side and both operable independently of the egg-holding means and of each other.

6. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber accessible at the bottom, and a closure for .the bottom having a covering Which permits the escape of gases down- Wardly therethrough When disposed over the bottom portion of the chamber.

7. In an incubator, a casing having an incubating-chamber accessible at the bottom, and a closure for the bottom having a covering of burlap.

8. In an incubator, a casing having heating and incubating chambers, the heatingchamber being provided with means for delivering the main heat-currents thereinto near one end portion thereof farthest from the heating source and a fabric diaphragm forming the top of the incubating-chamber and through Which the heat-currents pass into the latter chamber.

9. In an incubator, a casing having heating and incubating chambers, the heatingchamber being provided With means for delivering the main heat-currents thereinto near one end portion thereof farthest from the heating source, a fabric diaphragm forming the top of the incubating-chamber, and a fabric bottom for the latter chamber.

10. In an incubator, a casing having heating and incubating chambers, a heat receiving and distributing chamber over the incubating-chamber, means for delivering the main heat-currents into the heat receiving and distrbuting chamber adjacent to one end portion of the latter farthest from the source of heat and communicating With the heating-chamber, and a diaphragm forming the top of the incubating-chamber and composled of comparatively closely Woven materia 11. In an incubator, a casing having incubating and heating chambers, means for delivering the main heat-currents into the heating-chamber near one end portion of the latter farthest from the heating source, the incubating-chamber having a space thereover in communication With the heating-chamber, and top and bottom closures for the incubating-chamber composed of comparatively closely Woven material to permity the entrance of finely-divided heat-currents into the incubating-chamber and the escape of heavy gases from the lower portion of said chamber.

12. In an incubator, a casing having incubating and heating chambers, the incubatying-chamber being accessible at the bottom for the removal of chickens therefrom and having egg-holding means therein, and a movable closure for the bottom of the incubating-chamber and operable independently of the said egg-holding means.

13. In an incubator, a casing having incubating and heating chambers, and a removable diaphragm forming the top of the incubating chamber and composed of burlap.

14. In an incubator, a casing having heating and incubating chambers, and removable closures for the top and bottom of the incubating-chamber composed of comparatively closely Woven fabric to permit the passage of air-currents and the escape of heavy gases therefrom.

15. In an incubator, a casing, partition means therein forming heating and incubating chambers, a heat receiving and distributing chamber formed over the incubatingchamber, a fabric diaphragm forming the top of the incubating-chamber, a heat-non-conducting closure over the heat receiving and distributing chamber, and means for conveying heat from the heating-chamber to the extremity of the heat receiving and distributing chamber farthest from the heating-chamber and close to the said diaphragm.

16. An incubator having heating and incubating chambers, the incubating-chamber being prom'ded With a porous top covering, and means for conveying heated air from the heating-chamber over the said top covering and close to the latter adjacent to the eX- tremity of the incubating-chamber farthest from the source of heat.

17. An incubator, having heating and incubating chambers, the incubating-chamber being provided with a porous top covering, a heat-conveyer communicating with the heating-chamber and terminating close to the eX- tremity of the incubating-chamber farthest from the source of heat and over the top covering.

18. In an incubator, heating and incubating chambers, a porous top covering for the incub ating-chamber, a heat receiving and distributing chamber over the top covering and having full communication at one end with the heating-chamber, and heat-conveying means extending into the'heat receiving and distributing chamber close to the said covering and terminating at the end of the heat receiving and distributing chamber farthest from the heating-chamber.

19. In an incubator, incubating and heating chambers, a porous top covering for the incubating-chamber, and a heat receiving and distributing chamber having full communication at one end with the heatingchamber and closed at its opposite end.

20. In an incubator, the combination of a casing, heating and incubating chambers arranged therein, the heating-chamber having IOO IIO

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`openings in the bottom thereof, a heating v tion thereof connected with the lower extremity of the said flue.

21. In an incubator, the combination of a casing, having incubating and heating chambers therein, the heating-chamber being provided with openings in the bottom thereof, and a heating means consisting of an apertured drum with a flue extending centrally therethrough and communicating at its lower end with one of the openings and at its upper end passing through the top of the casing, and a skirt surrounding the drum and projecting over the remaining openings in the bottom of the heating-chamber, and forming with the drum an air-chamber.

22. In an incubator, a heating-chamber having openings in the bottom thereof, a

heating means consisting of an apertured drum with a flue extending centrally therethrough and projecting above and below the same, the lower end of the flue being fitted in one of the openings and the upper end thereof projecting through the body of the incubator, a skirt surrounding the drum and having its lower extremity projecting over the remaining openings and a prime heat-generating means connected to the lower end of the fiue, and a heat-conveying tube communicating with the upper portion of the drum.

23. A heating means for an incubator having a perforate drum with a vertical flue extending centrally therethrough and projecting above and below the same, the said iiue having no communication with the drum, a heat-conveying means connected to and cornmunicating with the upper portion of the drum, and a skirt surrounding the drum and having a lower flared extremity.

24. In an incubator, a heating-chamber having openings in the bottom thereof, a heating means consisting of a drum with a vertical flue extending upwardly therethrough and projecting above and below the bottom of the same, the lower end of the flue engaging theV central opening of the u per end thereof passing through the top o the incubator, the drum having openings in the body thereof, and the flue having no communication with the drum, a heat-conveying means connected to and communicating with the upper portion of the drum, and a skirt surrounding the drum and having its lower extremity ared to lit over the remaining openings, and a prime heat-generating means having a portion thereof connected to the lower extremity of the flue.

25. In an incubator, the combination with an egg or incubating chamber, of a heating apparatus having an air-heating chamber in communication with the incubating-chamber, and a damper coperating therewith which exclusively controls the heat-supply and is operative independently of they amount of fresh air entering the air-heating chamber.

26. In an incubator, the combination with an egg or incubating chamber having ventilating means, of a heating apparatus having an air-heating chamber in communication with the incubating-chamber and a damper automatically operating to exclusively control the heat-supply to the said incubatingchamber through the medium of the heated air passing therefrom, the heating apparatus operating independently of the Ventilating means.

27. In an incubator, the combination with an egg-incubating chamber, of a heating apparatus having an air-heating chamber in direct communication with the incubatingchamber and provided with means for allowing the air to pass thereto from the exterior of the incubator, the air-heating chamber having perforations in the side and otherwise completely closed and surrounded in part by a skirt fully open at the bottom7 and a damper automatically coperating with the heating apparatus, and exclusively controlling,

the heat-supply to the incubating-chamber.

2S. The combination with an incubator having an egg-incubating chamber, of a heating apparatus provided with means fully open at the bottom for permitting air to iow thereinto to become heated, the air being delivered from the said means into the incubating-chamber, said means being imperforate with the exception of the open bottom, and a source of heat coperating with said heating apparatus, the heat-currents passingdirectly through the apparatus without communication or mixture with the air flowing into the heating apparatus and heated by'the latter and delivered into the incubating-chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEIGH S. BACHE.

Witnesses v M. W. BAXTER, WM. Sonoran.

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